1. Field of the Invention
This invention is generally related to corkscrews for removing corks from wine bottles and the like and is specifically directed to a corkscrew assembly having a mechanized rotary motion for an auger type corkscrew.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Corkscrews for removing the cork from a wine bottle and the like have been available for at least two centuries. S. Henshall patented an auger-type corkscrew in 1895 and the basic concept has not changed since that time. Numerous improvements have been made over the years.
Herbert Allen has received a patent for an improvement in the basic auger type screw and pull corkscrew as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,597 issued on Sep. 29, 1981. Mr. Allen has also received a patent on a lever-action corkscrew, U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,351 issued on Mar. 31, 1981.
Mr. Allen has also received numerous patents on variations of these designs, wherein the auger type screw is encapsulated in an outer sheath or cover which is adapted to fit over the mouth opening of the wine bottle, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,276,789 issued on Jul. 7, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,096 issued on Mar. 22, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,444 issued on Feb. 7, 1984; DES 293,414 issued on Dec. 29, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,784 issued on Jan. 31, 1989; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,673 issued on Nov. 3, 1987.
In addition, Mr. Allen has two patents on a cork puller which does not rely on penetrating the cork but instead relies on twisting torque and a pulling action, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,783 issued on Jan. 31, 1989 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,331 issued on Aug. 27, 1991.
With the exception of the lever action design disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,351 and the torque twist and pull designs shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,800,783 and 5,042,331 all of the Allen corkscrews rely on an auger type tip for penetrating the cork and a twisting action wherein the twisting force is applied while gripping the corkscrew in a manner which is in axial alignment with the auger tip.